Bradford h



B. H. WHITING AND J. S. TOWNSEND.

LADLE TURNING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED 12.25.1919.

1 ,323, 1 37. Patented Nov. 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

Brad 07a? 17 1 1 665 7 @707 Elan/$677 071 B. H. WHITING AND J. S. TOWNSEND.

LADLE TURNING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED APR.25, 1919.

1,323, 1 37. Patented Nov. 25, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

[we-722 0715 Bradford E W/ozZzigy UNITED STATES PATENTOFFIGE.

BRADFORD H. WHITING, OF CHICAGO, AND JOHN S. TOWNSEND, OF HARVEY, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORS TO WHITING FOUNDRY EQUIPMENT OOMPANY, OF HARVEY, ILLINOIS,

A. CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

LADLE-TURNING MECHANISM;

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 25, 1919.

Application filed April 25, 1919. Serial No. 292,590.

To on whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that we, BRADFORD H. Wnrr- ING, residin at Chicago, in the county of Cook and tate of Illinois, and JOHN S. TOWNSEND, residing at Harvey, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, both citizens of the United States of America, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Ladle-Turning Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to mechanism for turning ladles used in foundries, furnaces and the like, containing more or less large bodies of molten metal, wherein, because of the danger of spilling the molten metal, very positive powerful machinery is required,.

and wherein, because of the great and variable heat created by the molten metal there is eat danger of irregular expansion in various parts of the machinery, with consequent danger of faulty operation.

The object of the invention is to provide a mechanism for turning a ladle and to so mount it that these difficulties are reduced to a minimum, if not entirely eliminated.

The invention consists in mechanismfor carrying out the foregoing objects, which can be easily and conveniently made, which is satisfactory in operation, and is not readily liable to get out of order. More in detail, the invention consists in making a ladle turning mechanism which is mounted bodily on the ladle trunnion and which, if expansible at all, expands with reference to the trunnion only, giving this ladle turning,

mechanism illustrating this invention in its preferred form.

Fig. 2 is a side view of the mechanism of Fig. 1, part of the case being broken away to show the internal operating mechanism.

Fi 3 is a sectional end view taken on the line of Fig. 2.

Like all devices of the type referred to, the metal carrying ladle 10, is provided on opposits sides with horizontally extending trumnons .12, only one being-shown in the drawlngs, and each trunnion is journ'aled in the lower extremity of an .upwardly U- shaped bail 14 attached to a traveling crane or other suitable lifting andtransport- 1ng mechanism. For the purposes of the present invention the bail 14 is a stationary memberwithm which the trunnions 12 turn to rotate the ladle 10.

The present rotating mechanism comprlses a worm wheel 16, rigidly secured upon trunnlons 12, by any suitable means,

as for instance a'key 18. In the face of this worm wheel 16 meshes a worm 20, mounted on a shaft 22, journaled in a case casting 24, preferably reinforced and stiffened by arms 26'and 28, and supported by the hub 30, journaled on the hub 16 of worm wheel 16, heretofore referred to. Oiling of this shaft is effected by removing the plugs 29. The shaft 22 also carries a spiral gear 32 which meshes with a worm 34 on a shaft 36, 'driven'by operating handle 38. This shaft 36 is, as shown, carried by arm 28. The lower part of the mechanism just described is inclosed by a de ending case member 40. detachably secured inposition by bolts or screws 42 and 44, entering the casting-24 or a part thereof, from which it follows that all of the operating parts just described, are carried by the hub 30, journaled on hub 16 of gear 16. This case is accessible through its end via the cover plate 43 detachablyse cured in place by the screws 45.

It is, of course, .obvious that in order to effect rotation of ladle 10 by turning han- (116 38 and consequently the intervening gear mechanism, it is necessary that the mechanism thus far described be at least This is accomplished byproviding upon the top of the case 24 a pair of parallel lugs 48 and 50 forming a U-shaped recess 52 between them withm which the bail 14 lies and is adapted to more or less freely move.

Inthe particular construction shown, the bail is reinforced and protected at this point bya U-shaped plate 54 held in place by a screw 56- The fit of the bail in this U-shaped recess 52 is sufiiciently loose so that no amount of expansion, contraction, or warping of the bail 14:, due to the heat of the metal in ladle 10 will have any efiect in distorting any of the operating mechanism.

In the operation of the device, the 0peratof turns handleQS in one direction or the other, as the case may be, thus rotating worm 34 to successively drive spiral gear 32, shaft 22, worm 20, worm wheel 16 and finally trunnion 12 and ladle 10, arm 48 or 50, as the case may be, bearing against plate 54 of bail 14 to permit this turning action but without being in any way tied to the bail which is free to contract and expand as much as it pleases. The bail is especially subject to such contraction and expansion due to'the fact that the heatof the molten metal in the ladle 10 passes up above and over the sides of the ladle more easily than in any other direction and thus strikes, heats and expands those portions of the bail which are above the upper edge thereof, the same not being shown in the drawing. The heat is transmitted from these parts above the ladle to the parts shown in the drawings, immediately adjacent to the operating mechanism.

The construction of this invention is specially valuable in view ofthe fact that a worm or spiral gear mechanism is more easily distorted and rendered inefiicient if not inoperative by slight changes in salinement of the various parts, and in view of the fact that the laws of some States, no

tably the State of Pennsylvania, prohibit the use of any other than worm or spiral gear operating mechanism in connection with molten metal ladies, this because of the well known fact that this form of gearing acts within reasonable limits as an automatic brake; e., the load cannot run away with it, as is possible where ordinary spur gearing is used.

The use of spiral gearing is especially valuable because, by its use, the power ratio can be varied from 1 to 33 or 1 to 127 by simply changing the size of the spiralgearing without changing the centers. This is very important in cases where a ladle happens to work hard and more leverage is needed, or where it is desired to turn the ladle slower in order to get a finer adjustment in pouring, or, conversely, where it is desired to speed up the pouring.

Having thus described our invention what we claim asnew and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. ln mechanism of the class described, in combination with a ladle and a supporting mechanism therefor in which it is journaled, ladle turning machinery mounted. and carried by the journal'mechanism of the ladle, and a loose anchor between said machinery Leanne? and the ladle supporting mechanism, permitting free expansion. of the supporting mechanism, for the purposes set forth.

2. In mechanism of the class described, a ladle and its trunnion, a bail in which said trunnion is journaled, gear mechanism rigidly attached to and operating the trunnion and solely supported thereby, except for a loosely fitting anchor which engages the bail, while permitting free expansion and contraction of the bail, for the purposes set forth.

3. In mechanism of the class described, the combination of a ladle, a trunnion extending therefrom, a suspending bail in which said trunnion is journaled, a case mechanism also journaled on the axis of the trunnion, an anchor on the case loosely embracing the bail without interfering with its expansion and contraction, and gear mechanism contained within the case operatively connected to and supported by the trunnion, for the purposes set forth.

4. In mechanism of the class described, a ladle, a trunnion extending therefrom, a bail carryin the trunnion in rotative rela tion therewith, a worm wheel rigid on the trunnion, a hand operated mechanism for,

driving said worm wheel, a case journaled on said worm wheel and inclosing the mechanism for driving the worm wheel, and an anchor from the case to the bail loosely engaging the bail to permit the latter free expansion and contraction, for the purposes set forth.

5. In mechanism of the class described, the combination with a ladle, a bail therefor, a trunnion on the ladle journaled in the bail, a worm gear rigid on the trunnion, a case inclosing the worm gear journaled on and carried by the worm wheel, an anchor on the case loosely connected to the bail, other gearing within the case jou'rnaled therein and meshing with the worm wheel. and means extending outside the case adapted for manipulating said other gearing, for the purposes set forth.

6. In mechanism of the class described, a ladle, a trunnion therefor, a supporting member carrying the trunnion, a worm wheel rigid on the trunnion, a shaft carrying a worm meshing in said worm wheel, a case provided with bearings for said shaft, means supporting said case from the trunnion, an anchor from the case to the trunnion support, permitting free expansion of the trunnion support, and mechanism for rotating said shaft, for the purposes set forth.

7. In mechanism of the class described, the combination. with a trunnion to be rotated, a bail carrying the trunnion, a worm Wheel upon the trunnion, a case inclosin the worn; wheel and journaled about the axis of the trunnion, a worm meshing with said worm wheel, a shaft for the worm journaled within said case, a spiral gear on said shaft, a. second worm meshing with said spiral gear, a. shaft for said second worm, our- 5 naled in the case, a. handoperated member for said last mentioned shaft, an anchor from the case to the bail, loosely engagin the some to permit expansion thereof, 91

of the partsbeing sha d, arran 'd and disposed as shown and escribed, or the pur- 10 poses set forth. I

In witness whereof we have hereunto sub scribed our names.

BRADFORD H. WHI'YIING. JOHN s. TOWNSEND. 

